Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran vie for best artist at MTV EMAs

Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran are among contenders for the best-artist trophy at Sunday’s MTV EMAs in London, where Irish rockers U2 are set to be named global icons.

Swift has nominations in six categories at the music awards, including best artist and best video, for “Look What You Made Me Do.” Other multiple nominees include Sheeran, Sam Mendes and Kendrick Lamar.

Mendes, Lamar, Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus are also nominated for the first-ever best artist prize, which replaces the awards’ previously separate male and female artist categories.

Rita Ora is set to host the concert-style awards ceremony at London’s SSE Arena on Sunday.

U2, who played an MTV-sponsored concert in London’s Trafalgar Square on Saturday, is due to receive the Global Icon award. The band thrilled several thousand fans with a mix of new tunes and classic hits at the outdoor show.

U2 paid tribute to the 22 people killed by a bomber at Manchester Arena in May, and Bono sent out a message of unity, saying: “We need each other, and we have much more in common than what divides us.”

The MTV Europe Music Awards are held in a different European city each year, with winners selected by fans across the continent.